Sony HDR-HC5 4MP MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

Product Description

Sony's HDRHC5 HD DV Camcorder makes it easy to capture perfect digital video, every time. Capture high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video to a MiniDV cassette. Record every detail of every moment, with the 10x optical/80x digital zoom and Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* Lens. As you record video, you'll also take still pictures at the same time with the 4.0 megapixel still image feature. Snap spectacular 2.3 megapixel photos while filming in dual record mode. The HDR-HC5 even slows down the audio. Get it all and get it in high definition with this amazing camcorder. Professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* Lens - advanced optical multi-layer coating, with less glare and flare with increased contrast 2.7 widescreen 16 - 9 hyrbid LCD touch panel -- rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles Smooth Slow Record - Increase the frame rate from 60fps to 240fps, capturing smooth slow motion Record an audio track to narrate what is being seen in the video Multiple scene selection modes, plus fader and picture effects One-touch wide angle shooting; manual focus; on screen zoom & record buttons Dual Recording - While you record high definition video, you can also capture 2.3 megapixel still images directly to a Memory Stick(R) Duo (up to 2304 x 1728 resolution) Super SteadyShot(R) compensates for camera shake without compromising picture quality Cinematic Mode adds a frame film-like effect to video -- perfect for creating home movie masterpieces Tele Macro Function handles close-ups without casting a shadow on your subject i.LINK (IEEE1394) interface for easy connection to camcorders, digital VTRs, capture cards and PCs Active Interface Shoe for adding accessories while directly providing power & two-way communication InfoLithium battery with AccuPower(TM) Meter System Multilanguage m

Customer Reviews:

HDR-HC5 Review.......2007-12-05

So far I have found this to be a great camera. Here are a few of my observations so far.

Video Quality: The video quality this this takes is great. However, there must be sufficient lighting. In a dimly light room, for instance, the video accumulates a fair bit of grain. But by adding a few more lights, or taking it outside on a nice day, your videos will rival that of broadcast HDTV.

Sound: Like most all camcorders the sound is very average. And the only mic's available are proprietary Sony mic's. One must upgrade to the HC7 to get the real mic inputs.

Features: This camera comes pretty packed. There are manual settings for exposure, focus, white balance, and a few others as well. And all of these, for better or worse, are adjusted through the touch screen interface that I personally love. Some of the buttons on the screen are small, so those with bigger fingers may have trouble navigating the camera.

Battery: I get about an hour of real recording time with the built in battery. It's enough to get through a Mini-DV tape, but not much more.

Other: The "Smooth Slow Record" is garbage. Yes, it does record 3 seconds of video extremely slow. But the video quality makes YouTube look like HD... It is bad. The Night Shot is pretty cool and works just as described. The effect is only as good as the built in IR light, so you can see maybe 15' in the dark. The touch focus feature is really cool. Just touch on the screen where you want the camera to focus, and it does it automatically.

Recording on Mini-DV tapes seems quite antiquated, but it does get the job done. It is a proven standard and pretty much any decent video editing program can handle it. The hard drive camcorders out there that record in AVC-HD do not currently enjoy as much compatibility as HDV, so that is why I when the tape based route.

Overall, this is a great camcorder. It could use some "real" manual features, like a dedicated focus ring, but those kind of features seem to be reserved for cameras in the 4 digit area. The video quality is also great in the right conditions. Definitely recommended.

I'm loving it :).......2007-11-15

I love the camera so far. The still pictures as well as the video are truly amazing with the 1080i HD. I'm using it for my two passions - my family and paranormal investigations. For the latter Sony's Night Shot can't be beat. Personally I dont feel that the extra 200-300 dollars for the HC7 is worth it, but to each their own.

A few accessories that I've picked up are:
Sony HVL-HIRL IR NightShot and Video Light for DCR-DVD305, 405, 505, HDR-HC1, HC3, HC5, DCR-SR100, SR-200, HDR-UX1 & UX5 Camcorders
Sony ECMHST1 Stereo Microphone for DCR-HC96, DCR-DVD305, 405, 505, DCR-SR80, 100, HDR-HC3, HC5 & HDR-UX5 Camcorders
Sony High Definition Minidv Videocassette (2-Pack)

Great Camcorder.......2007-10-10

So far this has been a great camera
Although I haven't actually tried to record at night, the picture quality during the day is amazing.

Excellant camera; excellant quality; small buttons.......2007-09-04

This is a great camera that takes very high quality pictures. I am actually really happy with the still pictures it takes as well. Be careful you have looked into all your software editing info before purchasing (be prepared to spend a couple hundred dollars for a codec to out the hd video) that goes for any HD camera though. This camera has some quality loss in dark scenes but you just have know how to adjust the camera to correct this.

Very impressive for home video use.......2007-05-30

I am writing this as someone who is not a true videophile, but who nonetheless pays some critical attention to picture quality and ease of use. I have no interest in making any videos other than reasonable quality family videos. I have owned a SD miniDV camera for 7 years before buying this one. The picture quality was observed on a Sony SXRD 60" HDTV using component cables. I didn't have the HDMI cable with the mini connector to try out a digital connection.

I bought this camera last week and tried it out during a Memorial Day trip with the family. The picture quality is extremely good. It's not quite as good as a top-notch HD feed (such as Discovery HD), but appears to me to be equal to most HD channels we receive over Comcast cable. Another poster said the quality is not much better than DVD, but for me this is clearly not the case--it's *much* better than DVD. Although in some detailed reviews online there are still images showing interlace artifacts, in viewing running video I have been unable to notice any effects of interlacing at all, even in fast-moving objects. Pans work well, with no objectionable artifacts or lagging. For outdoor scenes the picture is really stunning. Indoors at night, with ordinary light levels, the picture is not as good, with a graininess that is especially apparent on objects with a smooth texture, such as painted walls. Still, the picture is acceptable to me.

The camera has lots of features, mostly accessable from its touchscreen display. However, you can set the camera in "easy" mode, which selects a reasonable set of default settings. I confess that's the only mode I used, and the results were impressive. As I learn more about the camera I may fiddle with more advanced settings.

The camera can also take decent still photos, not up to par with a good digital camera but perfectly acceptable for when you don't want to lug around a separate camera. One cute feature is that it's possible to take still pictures in 16:9 mode while filming. This doesn't interrupt the filming, and the pictures are stored on the Memory Stick. Up to three such pictures can be taken in any filming sequence (from start to stop).

[Added 6/4/07] I have used the still camera some more. I compared the 16:9 pictures taken in video camera mode to those taken in the standard 4:3 camera mode, and I couldn't see any significant differences in quality (other than the 16:9 being wider). This in spite of the fact that Sony states the 16:9 mode pictures have an "effective resolution" of 2.3 Mpixels while those in 4:3 have a resolution of 4.0 Mpixels. (Note that, as far as I can tell, the camera doesn't actually have a 4 MP sensor, but uses some sort of interpolation to get 4 MP.) I also compared these pictures to ones taken with my 2001-vintage Canon Powershot digital camera; those from the Sony HDR-HC5 were clearly better. HOWEVER, the low-light capabilities of the Sony still camera modes is very poor, much worse than its low-light video capabilities. In ordinary indoor lighting the pictures are very grainy. Even in outdoor shots, faces that are in shade have a certain graininess. So in good light the stills are fine, but in low light they're not very good. [End]

The battery life was OK. I estimate I got an hour or so from the included battery. This was enough for shooting perhaps 30 minutes of video under real world conditions.

I was able to read in and edit the video using iMovie HD on my Mac. I couldn't send it back to tape because of a FireWire problem with my computer, but I assume it would look just as good as the original.

Overall, I can heartily recommend this camera to anyone who cares about picture quality, but is not an advanced videographer needing special features. For instance, there have been some complaints about the lack of a manual focussing ring, but in my daily use (and my 7 years with my SD camera) I have never felt the need for this. Now I'm waiting for inexpensive HD-DVD or Blu-Ray burners!

Product Description

Super popular Meade ETX-90AT Astronomical Telescope is one of the best Maksutov-Cassegrain 90mm telescopes available on the market today: For the casual or beginning observer the Meade ETX-90AT telescope may be all the telescope ever required. Or, for the advanced astronomer who already owns a larger instrument, the Meade ETX-90AT is the perfect ultra portable, diffraction-limited field telescope. Observe the continually changing cloud-belt patterns on the surface of the planet Jupiter; shadows cast on to Jupiter as one of its four principal satellites transits the planet's disc; the magnificent ring system and satellites of Saturn as well as dusky markings and the ring-shadow on the surface of Saturn; Moon craters by the hundred, plus lunar rilles, mountain ranges, and fault lines, all visible in brilliant, high-resolution, high-contrast detail; the variable phases of the planets Mercury and Venus; prominent features on the surface of Mars. With Meade ETX-90AT in deep-space the motivated observer will find it difficult to exhaust the quantity of visible phenomena: the incandescent filamentary structure of the Orion Nebula; the elliptical luminosity of the Andromeda Galaxy with its brilliant nucleus; the shining orb of the Hercules globular cluster with many of its outermost stars resolvable. These are only a few of the literally thousands of celestial objects within the view of the Meade ETX-90AT telescope. Star catalogs list innumerable double and multiple star systems, variable stars, open star clusters, globular clusters, diffuse nebulosities, planetary nebulae, and spiral galaxies within the grasp of the instrument. The optional Autostar Computer Controller can locate all of these objects automatically, in seconds.

Amazon.com Review

The Meade ETX90EC is a compact telescope with excellent optics, packaged with a sturdy tripod and the remarkable Autostar computer control. Even though I own several telescopes and belong to an Astronomy club, the first night I took out the ETX, it showed me objects I'd never seen before. The ETX90EC is the computerized version of an affordable Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope first introduced by Meade in 1996. Every reviewer since then has commented on the excellent optics. How excellent? When I presented a session on optical testing at my local Astronomy club, I brought my ETX90 so that everyone could see what a "textbook" star test actually looks like.

What can you see with an ETX90? You won't see the flag on the Moon, but you will see sharp, color free views of mountains and valleys, craters, and lava flows. The planets are also a delight. I'll never forget seeing Saturn's rings with my own eyes for the first time. Although you can see the rings of Saturn and the cloud bands of Jupiter with the included 26mm Plossl eyepiece (about 48X magnification), you'll want to increase the magnification to bring out more detail. I find that a magnification of about 100X is ideal on most nights. You can reach 100X by using a Barlow Lens, I like the Celestron Ultima Barlow, or a smaller eyepiece such as the Celestron Omni Series 12.5mm . It's tempting to crank up the power to 200X or more, but on most nights I didn't see any more detail.

The Autostar controller makes it easy to find 30,000 celestial objects.

As good as the optics are, however, the most amazing feature of the ETX90EC is the Autostar computer. The ETX90EC with Autostar was the first computerized "go-to" telescope for under a thousand dollars. While bright objects like the moon are easy to find, the Autostar excels at finding the galaxies and star clusters that make space so fascinating. Maybe it's because I play with computers anyway, but I found the Autostar easy to use. The owners manual instructs you to begin the alignment by pointing the telescope North and tilting the telescope to level. I don't use a compass or a spirit level to do this, I simply point the telescope at the North Star, Polaris, and lower the telescope 44 degrees using the setting circles. This works because my home is near 44 degrees latitude. Don't know which star is Polaris? You'll want some kind of star chart that identifies the stars by name, NightWatch by Terence Dickinson is one of my favorites.

Many of the best galaxies and star clusters were discovered by a French comet hunter named Charles Messier. These so-called "M" objects looked to Messier like comets in the small telescopes of his day. My first night with the ETX, I switched on the "tour" mode. After looking at a few favorites, the cluster M52 came up on the Autostar. I pressed GO TO, and the telescope aimed itself at a cluster I hadn't looked at before. And darned if it didn't look just like a distant comet passing in front of a few small stars! I was so impressed, I bought an ETX for my step-son who works for the Air Force.

It's only fair to warn you, however, that if you find yourself enjoying astronomy, you may start wanting a bigger telescope! --Jeff Phillips

Pros:

Excellent optics
The Autostar computer finds objects and describes them for you
Small and easily portable

Cons:

It's small--the only way to see more detail is with a bigger telescope
When using small eyepieces, you might bump the finder scope with your nose

Amazon.com Product Description

This telescope includes a free Autostar computer controller and deluxe field tripod with this ETX-90EC--a value of $349. And with the ETX-90EC, Meade brings a serious telescope into the price range of the casual consumer. The ETX-90EC Astro offers extraordinary optics at an affordable price. It combines a high-resolution optical design and diffraction-limited imaging with microprocessor-controlled, precise celestial-object tracking, all in a nicely styled, highly portable package. The Autostar controller turns the ETX-90EC into an automatic celestial-object locating system.

Catadioptrics

This is a catadioptric telescope. Catadioptrics use an ingenious combination of mirrors and lenses to "fold" the light path into a remarkably compact tube. This type of design--which includes Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes--offers good value even while it scores high on the techno-geek meter.

Read more about different telescope designs in our buying guide

Just plug the Autostar into the telescope's HBX port in place of the standard-equipment electronic controller, do a quick telescope alignment, and you're ready to observe any object in the Autostar's 30,000-object database.

The ETX-90EC also includes high-torque DC motors on both telescope axes, permitting electronic operation from the handheld controller. This pushbutton electronic controller has four dual-axis drive speeds: slow, 8x for image centering at high power; medium, 32x for image centering at lower power or for pushbutton tracking in altazimuth mode; moderate, 0.75 degrees per second for image centering in the viewfinder or for terrestrial tracking; and fast, 5 degrees per second for fast scanning across the sky.

The Meade ETX-90EC is specially designed to be portable and used in the field. It offers cordless operation, allowing you to use the telescope's dual-axis drive system for more than 40 hours on eight AA batteries. At approximately 8 pounds, and 15 inches in length, it packs a lot of power into a compact unit.

The ETX-90EC uses a 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design. Meade also uses EMC super-multicoatings on all optical surfaces to maximize light transmission through the corrector lens and reflectance from the primary and secondary mirrors. The flip-mirror system allows for 90-degree observation of land and sky objects, straight-through observation using the optional 45-degree erecting prism, or photo-ready imaging using the optional T-adapter and your own 35mm camera.

The Nuts and Bolts

1. Eyepiece
2. Viewfinder
3. Eyepiece Holder Thumbscrew - Tightens the eyepiece in place.
4. 90° Eyepiece Holder - Holds the eyepiece upright for easy viewing.
5. Optical Tube - The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and brings this light to a focus for examination with the eyepiece.
6. Vertical Lock - Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope.
7. Fork Arms - Hold the optical tube in place.
8. Focus Knob - Moves the telescope's optical tube in a finely-controlled motion to achieve precise image focus.
9. Horizontal Lock - Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the telescope.

10. Computer Control Panel

A. ON/OFF Switch.
B. Auxiliary Ports - Provide connection for current and future Meade accessories.
C. Handbox (HBX) Port - for the Electronic Controller or the optional Autostar handbox.
D. The 12v connector, designed to accept an external power supply such as the optional AC Adapter or Power Cord.
E. LED power indicator light.

11. Base Housing - Supports the telescope for placement on a flat, level surface, such as a tabletop or optional tripod.
12. Holes for Optional Tripod - See your tripod's instruction sheet for mounting information.
13. Right Ascension (R.A.) Setting Circle.
14. Flip-Mirror and Flip-Mirror Control Knobs - ETX telescopes include an internal mirror. With the flipmirror control in the "up" position, light is diverted to the eyepiece. With the flipmirror control in the "down" position, as shown in Fig. 2b, light proceeds straight out the photo port for photography.
15. Photo Port - Attach any 35mm camera with a removable lens to this port using an optional adapter.
16. Declination Setting Circle (on left fork arm).
17. Viewfinder Alignment Screws - adjust these screws to align the viewfinder.
18. Viewfinder Alignment Bracket.
19. Dust Cap
20. Battery Compartment (not shown, underneath base).

Customer Reviews:

a real husband-pleaser.......2007-08-14

I'm totally unfamiliar with telescope technology, but I bought this for my husband, who isn't. He has been completely delighted. He watched the introductory DVD immediately (it is thorough and easily understood). This is one of the best gifts I've ever given him.

5 stars!.......2004-12-05

Okay, I know nothing about telescopes. But my husband and I bought this last summer because he thought it'd be fun to star gaze. When we did, it was truly one of the most wonderful experience ever! It allows you to observe celestial objects in brilliant resolution. It wasn't complicated and simple to use. But you do have to read the manual.

I will recommend it for beginners.

Meade Does It Right.......2004-02-29

The Meade ETX90EC lives up to its billing. It's a high-quality piece of gear that exudes craft and workmanship. The bundled package w/Autostar and Tripod gives you most of what you need. If you have any intent of doing terrestrial viewing, you should consider the 45 degree erecting prism. Also, the package does not come with any power adapters. If you plan to be out for a long evening of star gazing, you will probably want the adapter that lets you plug into a cigarette lighter. I wish Amazon had the UHTC version available, but no luck. Finally, I haven't been able to find the correct T-mount adapter for this scope on Amazon. I do want to use it for photography eventually. The main thing I would say is that this is not a toy, but it is ideal for beginners to intermediate enthusiasts. I've had more fun in just a couple sessions than I've ever had before.

Disappointed in Meade.......2003-12-27

This was my husband's big present for Christmas, something he has always wanted. While unwrapping and unpacking, he heard a rattle in the spotting scope. Upon investigation, he fished out a broken set screw and discovered that it had sheared off the outside of the spotting scope. Another screw was badly damaged. The eyepiece covers had all been left off when shipping. Also, all the settings were loose and had to be reset. Meade does not have an 800 number and you are put on hold interminably when you try to contact them. All in all, he likes the scope BUT was very disappointed in the quality of the manufacturer and lack of customer service. What a disappointment for Christams day!

Great Telescope.......2003-10-08

I've only used my telescope a couple times, but it has been great. It takes a little while to get used to it, and I highly recommend reading the manual. Also, Meade has a deal going on that you will probably want to check out (http://www.meade.com/promo.d/plosslpromo.html). You will definitely want to take them up on this offer.

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